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Empowering you with confidence and control. Actions make you aware that you can do something to effect change. You take on responsibility for yourself in a meaningful way. |
| Releasing anger and frustration in a positive way. |
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Immediate. If not now, when? |
| Timely by responding in the defence of immediate conservation needs. Decide at which stage in a campaign Direct Action is most useful. |
| Satisfying and you feel much better. |
| Ethical. |
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Skills learned include organising, building tools and temporary shelters, and dealing with negative emotions. |
| Effective. You will always achieve your goal if it is realistic. Direct Action on its own will usually have limited objectives. Your action will cause a reaction and change. You will force discussion. Your presence may require additional security that entails huge costs to the company or government department. |
| Purposeful. We must be determined in our defence of the Earth; for itself, and because our survival depends on it. |
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Strategic. Direct Action works best when part of a comprehensive package of lobbying, media releases, grassroots organising and public talks, litigation, presscover, petitions etc. Devise a short and long term plan and decide if and when Direct Action is appropriate. Direct Action does not necessarily only have to occur when all other channels are exhausted - for example when the bulldozers actually arrive, it can be used to supplement a campaign or even launch it. |
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Fun. Although the issues are serious it is best if Direct Action is engaged with an attitude of lightness and even humour. Friendships are formed with other activists. Actions may involve music, theatre and parties. |
| Individual. Usually, there are no leaders or hierarchy and Direct Action requires no centralised organisation. There are no paid workers. Activists are autonomous individuals. They work for the environment and for what they believe in. Anyone can start a group or work on an issue that interests them. If not you, who? |
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Networking. On larger actions there is a need for trust and a good working relationship between activists. Ideally work in small groups with people you know. Create affinity groups. Exchange information between groups. Organise joint actions when larger numbers of people are required. Produce a newsletter every few weeks detailing current and future actions. Direct Action works best as part of a wider campaign involving other groups and organisations using different techniques. |
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Creative. New forms of expression and new tactics are important for surprise and for keeping the protest fresh. Lateral thinking and brainstorming create possibilities. |
Exposing government inadequacies at regulating human greed. Decisions made by a relatively small number of people negatively affect the environment everyday. Through a chain of commands a company’s managing director or board of directors, a committee or powerful political party make changes which are in their interest but not in the best interests of the environment and people. These people have names and addresses.
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Consciousness raising by bringing the issue to the awareness of others. Winning over the minds of people with sound arguments and by example.
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Variable. Silent or loud; theatrical or plain; in a private or public place; in city or country; farm or factory, company office, political party office, government department. Diversity in life and with the tactics of each action. |
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Local. People and activist groups usually have a greater understanding of their immediate environment. Unique problems require unique campaign strategies. Local activist groups develop their own identity, are autonomous but cooperate to a high level. Ask yourself if you can justify using large amounts of fossil fuel travelling to an action in a far away place. Whenever possible 'think globally and act locally'. If your action is not situated locally get to understand the issues. Communicate with the locals or local campaigners. It is important to have the locals on your side. A public meeting after an action is useful for explaining why you did it, to get new support and to discuss future campaigns. |
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Global. Direct Action should be part of a global strategy to create a more sustainable system. |
| Experiential. Learning about conflict and anger, gaining skills and working with others. |
| Non-violent to all forms of life; people, plants and animals. Verbal and physical non-violence. |
| A spectacle. Provide a positive role model to others. |
| Positive. Explain the problems but highlight the solutions. A careful balance between the problems and solutions needs to be presented if we are not to create unrealistic optimism and complacency or fatalistic pessimism and despair.
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Commitment. Direct Action is being prepared to stand up and be counted. It may involveputting your body in the way of an environmentally destructive process. |
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Simple explanations are sometimes used even for complex problems. Direct Action is best simply organised and executed. |
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Risk of arrest. Some types of Direct Action involve committing criminal offences and the risk of arrest. The police may arrest you on the spot for 'anything' they like. They may arrest you if you refuse to move from the place of protest. You must decide if and when it is appropriate to withdraw. How far you go depends on your commitment and responsibilities. It is a personal choice. Carefully consider the costs and benefits of being arrested. It could create support for an important issue, but could just as easily distract some people from the merits of your cause, particularly if your action damages property. Consider how you may be affected by a criminal record; you may have to serve a small gaol term, pay a substantial fine or pay the legal cost of a court case if you had pleaded not guilty. It may affect your chance of a job in the Public Sector, or affect your professional status if you are a lawyer or medical professional. It may also affect your chance of getting a travel visa. |
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Proactive when possible. We must defend and conserve our environment. Direct Action goes further and recognises a need of humans to change their values and laws. Create the issue. |
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Targeted. Focus on the cause. This is always a person with money and hence power. The worker at the end of the chain of commands is not the target. |
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Documented by observers who photograph and film key events on video. If arrests are made any record of events made by the police may be selective. They have a bias towards getting a prosecution. Keeping your own video will help keep the record straight. Your record may be used against you or it may be useful in your defence. A camera or video recording events acts as a deterrent against police or security company brutality. |
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Peacekeepers help to keep calm if tensions develop. |
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Information for Action
Information for Action is a non profit environmental organization committed to environmental change in our global community. Work on the website began in 1999 by President Rowland Benjamin and is maintained by a group of talented volunteers.
